


dear landlord

by vtforpedro



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Falling In Love, Feel-good, Fluff and Humor, Gentle Sex, House Hunting, Landlord Percival Graves, Light Angst, M/M, Original Percival Graves is a Softie, POV Credence Barebone, Romance, they are both Softe and Warme
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:34:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27341317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vtforpedro/pseuds/vtforpedro
Summary: In which Credence Barebone sets out to find an apartment of his own and meets Percy Graves, a generous landlord and an even more generous man, who gives him far more than he ever hoped to have.
Relationships: Credence Barebone/Original Percival Graves
Comments: 34
Kudos: 108





	dear landlord

Credence has been living in the same apartment for the last three years now. He has two roommates, a couple, the same two who had been happy to have him come in when he was two years into his degree at NYU.  
  
The first six months with them had been fine besides some cleanliness issues, but it had all gone downhill after that. At a slow pace but downhill nonetheless, with random parties or smoking enough weed inside the apartment that he’d eventually had to threaten leaving because his clothes were starting to smell like it. Cleanliness also took a nose dive and when one of them lost their job, rent was harder to make every month.   
  
He’s fairly sure his roommate sells drugs to get by because he still doesn’t have a job.   
  
For the last year Credence has been immensely busy with wrapping up his senior year, interviewing and starting his career, but he tries to stay even busier so he’s rarely home. It’s an awful feeling to not want to go home, to not view it as a place of comfort, a feeling he’s all too familiar with, so when he’s been working for a while and has actual savings now, he begins apartment hunting.   
  
He wants to be able to come home and relax, not worry about mysterious smell number four of the week, bug infestations or anyone sneaking into his room when he’s not there because he knows they do that. Probably looking for valuables, which he doesn’t keep, another thing he’d like to do.   
  
Credence is a registered pediatric nurse at one of the best hospitals in the country and he’s making decent money, but not Manhattan-decent. He expands his search for apartments out to other boroughs even if he has to take the subway and even if he has to find a roommate, though he’s hoping he doesn’t.   
  
But New York is a hard place to find a good enough apartment on your own and it takes Credence ages to find an apartment in a neighborhood he likes. It’s a townhouse, really, near the subway and various other convenient places, and he’s surprised at the price of it. He thinks he can afford it without a roommate but the landlord hasn’t put how much net income he should be making and when Credence requests an appointment via the website, he thinks he might be wasting both their time. It’s such a nice little place though, with good floors and appliances and a loft upstairs with a decently sized master bathroom and closet.   
  
Credence has no idea why the price is as low as it is, can’t find anything about crime being any worse in the neighborhood than anywhere else or the local schools nearby having bad ratings. It looks quiet and peaceful and Credence is desperate enough to live on his own that he simply doesn’t question it.   
  
The appointment is made for Saturday at eleven in the morning and Credence gets through the work week, longer than usual because he’s so eager, and has trouble sleeping every night. Partially because of his shit roommates and partially because he is immensely hopeful to get out of the situation he’s in.   
  
He leaves at seven on Saturday morning to go get breakfast somewhere, taking his time and drinking numerous cups of coffee, just so he doesn’t have to be in the apartment. His roommates sleep late on Saturdays but they also exist and he prefers to not remember that most days.   
  
Credence takes the subway out of Manhattan and walks the rest of the way to the neighborhood, only ten minutes or so, and he likes it immediately when he turns onto the street the townhouse is on.   
  
It’s autumn and the old trees lining the sidewalks are yellow and orange and red, their leaves covering the sidewalks and front yards and it is indeed quiet. There are a few people out, a mother watching three children play in the street and she smiles at him when he smiles at her.   
  
The townhouse isn’t big, but it’s got a stoop and a small fenced yard with a large oak tree in it offering shade over all of the front windows and Credence hopes, dearly hopes, that it’s a dream come true.   
  
He’s a few minutes early but the door is cracked open, so he supposes the landlord must be inside and walks up the stairs. He knocks on the door.   
  
“Mister Barebone?” he hears a man’s voice call.   
  
“Yes, sir.”   
  
“Come on in.”   
  
Credence pushes the door open and glances around at a narrow hallway that leads past the stairs and toward a wider living room. He’s distracted by the landlord walking down the hall, Mister Graves, and feels his stomach loop when he gets a good look at him.   
  
He can’t be ten years older than Credence. He’s wearing a fine black suit, his dark hair immaculate, an expensive watch on his wrist, shined black shoes and Credence immediately feels embarrassed for his jeans and hoodie, despite the fact that he’s only looking at a townhouse and not interviewing for a prestigious job.   
  
“Thanks for coming,” Mister Graves says and holds out his hand and he’s smiling, much more friendly than Credence had been expecting.   
  
“Oh,” Credence says a little breathlessly. “Thanks for meeting with me.” He shakes Mister Graves’ hand and tries not to stare at his smile or his eyes or his entire face at all, because it is a far too handsome face.   
  
Mister Graves looks like a confident man and Credence can tell he is by the way he walks down the hallway. Probably born into money or maybe found a career where he makes a lot of it and has put his foot into the real estate business too, booming the way it is. He’s everything Credence is not, Credence thinks, and tries not to be embarrassed by it.   
  
“It’s been remodeled over the last few months. Nothing major, just interior and a coat of paint outside, but there are new appliances, a new railing on the stairs, and new hardwood floors. Toilets are new too, but other than that, she was in great shape,” Mister Graves is saying. “A little over a thousand square feet and there is a patio outside, admittedly small, but a private space.”   
  
Credence looks around the living room, plenty of room for a sofa and loveseat, for a coffee table and book and movie shelves, a TV, everything he needs. The kitchen is just behind it with a breakfast bar that looks out over the living room, big enough for two stools, but the kitchen is long enough for a small dining table on the other end of it too.   
  
The kitchen is perfect, not too big or small, mid-end appliances that are stainless steel and fit well with the darker cabinets. There’s a guest bathroom behind it and the door leading out to the private patio - which really is just a seven by seven plot of concrete, but it wouldn’t need much to be something comfortable.   
  
They look at the loft upstairs, big enough for a king-sized bed and with a view of the high windows downstairs, so he might be able to see outside in the mornings when he wakes up. The closet isn’t as big as he thought but he doesn’t have a lot of clothes and it’s not a bad sacrifice because the shower is large and the counter space has more than enough room for his things and plenty for storage.   
  
It’s perfect. It’s a dream come true. It’s everything Credence could possibly want and if he can afford it, it will be the first time in his life that he’s ever lived alone.   
  
The thought is so striking that his eyes sting but he bites his lip as he follows Mister Graves back down the stairs and into the kitchen. He reminds Credence of the price, of the square footage, of the security deposit and all that, and Credence feels his heart sink when Mister Graves says he prefers his renters to make three times the rent.   
  
He definitely doesn’t make that much money, but he knows why Mister Graves might ask for it. Credence had thoroughly priced the monthly rent along with all of his other living expenses and he knows he can do it, he knows he can live here and have money still go into savings, to be able to buy whatever food he wants and other entertainment, but if he lost his job, he wouldn’t be able to afford rent anymore because he’s not making enough to have three times the savings he already does.   
  
“Thank you for showing me it,” Credence says and smiles, a little sadly. “It’s perfect. Really nice and a lot better than where I’m at now. I definitely don’t make three times the rent though.”   
  
“Did you bring your paystubs?” Mister Graves asks. He doesn’t sound disappointed, merely curious, and Credence fishes them out of his hoodie and hands them over.   
  
Mister Graves looks through three of them and squints a little, doing the math, before he shrugs. “Let me check your credit and your background,” he says and looks at Credence. “I’ll knock a few hundred off and make an exception. Security deposit might go up though.”   
  
Credence gapes at him. “But… but…” he stammers. “But you… that can’t be…”   
  
Mister Graves looks amused. “How about,” he says, “you let me worry about how I run business and wait for my call in a few hours?”   
  
Credence continues to stare at him, his mind running through about a million different things. Why on earth would Mister Graves knock a few hundred off of rent and make an exception for someone he doesn’t even know? He needs to look at his credit and criminal record, yes, but he won’t find anything bad there. And when he does, he might offer Credence the townhouse and he could certainly afford a higher security deposit.   
  
It’s too much. It is absolutely a dream come true and that simply doesn’t happen to Credence. There is always a catch and Credence doesn’t know what this one will be, is a little terrified it might be something awful, but he’d looked into Mister Graves too and found nothing but glowing reviews of how he conducts business, of how quickly things are taken care of, of how fair he is.   
  
But this is a little too fair. It’s a loss for Mister Graves and Credence feels ill, because he thinks it might be a loss for him too at some point.   
  
“This is my last property unrented in this area,” Mister Graves says and he’s smiling, friendly again, and there’s something in his eyes that’s kind and reassuring. “I’d be glad to see you in it. Give me a few hours and I’ll let you know. Do you have any questions for me?”   
  
“No,” Credence croaks, because he truly doesn’t. Besides _why are you doing this,_ but he thinks that’d probably just insult Mister Graves. “I don’t think so. Everything on the listing seems fair.”   
  
“Pets?”   
  
“No,” Credence says. “I’m barely home at my other apartment. I don’t think I’ll be getting one here either.”   
  
“Well, if you’re approved, just let me know if you do,” Mister Graves says with a smile. “If we’re all good to go and you can pay tonight, you can pick up the keys tomorrow.”   
  
Credence’s head is spinning. “Okay,” he says. “Thank you very much, Mister Graves. That… that sounds good.”   
  
“You’re welcome, Mister Barebone,” Mister Graves says with another amused smile. “I’ll speak with you soon.”   
  
He walks Credence out and after they shake hands, Credence walks down the sidewalk and back toward the subway, his legs feeling like jelly. He can never shake the idea that something terrible is waiting around the corner and anything good given to him will be taken away just as swiftly, but he’s accomplished a lot for himself in the last five years. He’s completed a degree, has a good career starting up, he’s happier than he’s ever been when it comes to himself.   
  
Miserable with his living situation and lonely because he hasn’t dated in over a year, but one of those things might be fixed in just a few hours.   
  
By next weekend he could live in the townhouse and make it his own. No roommates, no weird smells or disturbing messes, only his own furniture and decorations and everything the way he wants it. He could buy plants, which he’s always loved, and not be afraid they’ll be killed. He could put herbs on the windowsill in the living room.   
  
It makes Credence feel teary and his heart is racing. It races the entire way back to his shitty apartment, until he swiftly avoids his roommates and locks himself in his room.   
  
When Mister Graves calls him a couple hours later and says the townhouse is his, he doesn’t say anything when Credence’s voice trembles. Just says he’ll send the lease over via email and once Credence has electronically signed it and paid what he owes, the keys will be waiting for him.   
  
Credence bursts into tears the moment he hangs up the phone.   
  
——   
  
Credence works the day shift right now, six to six, and as soon as he’s done, he gets on the subway and goes to the townhouse. Mister Graves had texted him where he could find the keys and once he’s retrieved them, he opens the door and steps inside.   
  
He turns on all of the lights and looks around, biting his lip so he doesn’t start crying again, and thinks about this being his. He wanders through it more slowly, looking at things he hadn’t noticed, small architectural things, the artful curve of the edges of the breakfast bar and the elegant hardware on the cabinets. The faucet on the sink, nicer than any he’s ever had. The upstairs loft and its soft curves and arched ceiling, making the townhouse feel bigger than it is. The ceiling fans that are brand new and silent and beautiful.   
  
It’s too much and he doesn’t know why he’s allowed to have it, but he decides he can’t keep questioning it or he’ll give himself more anxiety than he already has.   
  
And if he questions it too much, he really will lose it.   
  
Credence uses his days off throughout the week to steadily move his belongings out of the apartment. He’s only an occupant on the lease and doesn’t have to give notice, so he has no obligations to his roommates. They seem shocked he didn’t tell them he was leaving but he truly does not give a single shit after all they’ve put him through.   
  
It’s a bit of a nightmare because they get angrier every day and he ends up leaving his bed simply because the mattress is awful, the box spring is awful, and he can buy himself a new set that’s actually nice.   
  
A housewarming gift to himself.   
  
Mister Graves had asked him when his first night in the townhouse would be and Credence had told him, though he had assumed the day he signed his lease was his first official day as a resident.   
  
But that evening, after he’d spent an hour or so watching men from the furniture store deliver and set up his new bed, and is finally sitting on his own sofa in his own living room, blessedly quiet beyond the music he has playing on his laptop, he realizes why Mister Graves had asked.   
  
There’s a knock at the door and Credence is surprised, but he answers it and is given a bouquet of flowers, all in fall colors and a pretty ceramic vase, striped white and brown and green. He thanks the woman who delivers it to him and walks to the kitchen to see it better in the light. There’s a little card on it and he opens it.   
  
_Welcome home._   
  
Credence tries not to get choked up, knows this is fairly common, but the flowers are so beautiful and he _is_ home. A home he can afford easily now, with plenty of money left over every month, more than he knows what to do with.   
  
The bouquet is orange bi-color roses, orange asiatic lilies, rust cushion spray chyrsanthemums, bronze daisy spray chyrsanthemums, yellow button spray chyrsanthemums, seeded eucalyptus, parvifolia eucalyptus, and preserved oak leaves, according to another card that came with it, and Credence stares in wonder at it.   
  
They’re all immensely beautiful, especially the oak leaves, so recognizable from the ones in his front yard.   
  
His first splash of life in the apartment. He’ll go plant and herb shopping soon but he takes the bouquet back to the living room, setting it on his coffee table and sitting down on the sofa.   
  
Credence doesn’t know if he should text Mister Graves, but it feels like he should, so he opens their messages.   
  
_Thank you, Mister Graves, for everything._ _  
_ _  
_ _Percy, please. You’re welcome. Let me know if you need anything. Welcome home._   
  
Credence bites his lip and smiles as he stares down at the text for a while. “Percy,” he sighs and looks at the flowers.   
  
He turns back to his laptop before he starts crying. He doesn’t have cable or internet yet, those are both happening in two days, but he uses his phone’s hotspot for internet on his laptop and doesn’t care what his phone bill might look like in a couple weeks.   
  
He has to believe that this is only a continuation of good things to come. Starting at NYU had been as terrifying as living alone now is, afraid it’d all go to shit and he’d be kicked out and never amount to anything in his life. But he’d done so well, made it through his classes and clinicals and now he works in a fantastic hospital with fantastic people.   
  
With new friends who are happy for him to finally be out of that apartment, who want to throw him a welcome home party his way, with good food and good people, not a lot of noise or alcohol.   
  
Things are going his way and Credence doesn’t believe in God anymore, but he does thank the universe for what it’s giving him. For what it helped him escape, the old apartment and his old life both.   
  
Credence goes to sleep that night and it’s quiet, beyond his multiple fans to drown out the racing thoughts he has when it’s too quiet. But there’s no loud conversations or even louder sex from his roomates. It’s only him and his bed and his townhouse and Credence does cry again, but these are happy tears.   
  
He hopes he only ever sheds those kinds for the rest of his life, but he’s not quite that optimistic.   
  
——   
  
The first two weeks go by perfectly.   
  
Credence goes shopping here and there, buying decorative items and other essentials for a home. He buys numerous frames because they are his walls now, really, and if he wants to hang up his own artwork, he damn well will.   
  
He buys plants and herbs and beautiful blankets for the coming winter. He makes the townhouse his and by the end of the second week, it’s the warmest and most comfortable place he’s ever been in. Everything is light colored and cheerful, whites and browns and blues with splashes of espressos and blacks to compliment the townhouse’s colors. It’s… cute and homey and welcoming and Credence spends a lot of time simply staring at it.   
  
His friends had come over for a welcome home party last weekend and he’s got a few things from them too, things that fit him, throughout the townhouse and it makes him feel special. He’s never felt special in his life before but he knows he has people who love and care about him now and it’s such a marked difference from before.   
  
But at the end of the second week, he wakes to his dishwasher leaking. Credence had turned it on to run overnight and his heart jumps when he sees water on the floor. It’s not a lot but enough to be concerned about and he takes a few pictures.   
  
He’s rather terrified to send them to Percy, afraid he’ll kick Credence out for breaking his dishwasher already, even if it’s new and he’s sure he didn’t do anything wrong. But he types out a large paragraph and sends it to Percy and paces around the living room as he waits for him to reply.   
  
_It’s only about a month and half old, so it’s under warranty. Let me know when you’re free and I’ll have someone sent out to fix it. Don’t worry about it._   
  
Credence sighs in relief, even if he still feels vaguely guilty and has no idea why. He thanks Percy and tells him a couple days that he’s free.   
  
The man that comes to his place fixes it in about a half hour, explaining what went wrong, just a loose hose, and how it’s fairly common coming out of the factory and to let him know if it happens again.   
  
The world doesn’t end. Not yet.   
  
Right after his first official full month’s rent payment a week later, Credence is sleeping soundly upstairs when there’s a crash, loud enough to have him sitting up straight in bed with a gasp, broken glass shattering below.   
  
Credence flies out of bed and runs downstairs and to his shock and horror, he sees that one of his front windows has been half broken, the glass shattered across his floors. He thinks someone might have been trying to break in, but it’s nearly nine in the morning and when he peers out of the window, he sees a few young, terrified faces.   
  
He finds the baseball they’d been playing with and gives it back to them. They’re three boys, about ten or eleven, and shamefully offer to tell their parents so they can pay for it to be replaced.   
  
Credence has no idea if that’s what is appropriate or not and merely gets their phone numbers and which houses they live in, telling them it’ll be alright, before he goes inside. He takes a picture of the mess and broken window, grimacing, and writes another long paragraph to Percy after sending him the pictures.   
  
Percy will no doubt be angry now, even if it still isn’t Credence’s fault, and he sweeps up the broken glass so he doesn’t pace or pull his hair out while he’s waiting for Percy to respond.   
  
When he finally feels his phone buzz, he pulls it out and looks at the text.   
  
_Accidents happen. Might put a sign in the yard though. Baseball-Free Zone. Don’t worry about it, I’ll come over in a bit and take a look. Will you be home?_   
  
Credence lets out a heavy sigh of relief. He doesn’t know why he thinks Percy will be angry at him for things not his fault - or maybe he knows exactly why - and he’s still a little wary he’ll be annoyed when he gets here, but he’s not blaming Credence for it.   
  
_Yeah, I’m off today. Sweeping and vacuuming right now, it might take me a while to find all of it. Thank you. Sorry._ _  
_ _  
_ _Don’t be sorry. Just wear shoes._   
  
Credence huffs a small laugh and smiles, putting his phone away. He is wearing shoes, thank you very much, and he thinks he might be paranoid for a few days about taking them off.   
  
It takes him over an hour to sweep and vacuum, let alone pick up all the glass that’s gotten into places neither of those things could reach. Somehow his beautifully planted herb garden had been spared, on the other side of the window, but he still has to pick a few pieces of glass out of the soil.   
  
When there’s a knock on the door, Credence realizes he’s still in his pajama pants and a tank top and curses himself for not putting a different shirt on. He’s been working up a sweat despite the cold air coming in from outside and sighs as he walks to the door and unlocks and opens it.   
  
Percy isn’t in a fancy suit today, but jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt and tennis shoes.   
  
It’s casual and yet Credence’s mouth goes dry because Percy looks damn good in jeans and in black and that smile too, which Credence wishes he would stop doing because it makes his heart flutter too much.   
  
“May I come in?” Percy asks and looks faintly amused.   
  
“Oh,” Credence says and quickly steps inside, blushing. “Sorry, yes, of course. I think I’ve got it all picked up.”   
  
Percy smiles and walks inside, into the living room. He looks over the broken window for a while and hums. “I’ll call my guy and see if he can put in a new one before this evening,” he says. “Shouldn’t be a problem.”   
  
“Oh. That’s fast,” Credence says, trying not to stare at Percy. He fidgets and thinks about running upstairs to put on a shirt. “Is this considered an emergency?”   
  
“Well, yes,” Percy says and chuckles. “Even if we covered it, I’d sleep better knowing it was replaced today. We might get snow tomorrow too, so it’s best if we replace it today.”   
  
Credence nods and smiles faintly when Percy looks at him. “Okay. Sounds good. Thank you,” he says. “I’m sorry I’ve already had to have you fix two things in just a few weeks.”   
  
“If you’d put dish soap in the dishwasher and threw the baseball yourself, we might be having a different conversation,” Percy says with a smirk. “But none of this is your fault. Really, don’t worry about it, Credence.”   
  
“Still, I’m sure you’re busy,” Credence mutters, his cheeks warm as he looks at the window. Percy’s gaze is rather intense even while friendly and he is so unbearably handsome it’s hard to look at him.   
  
“Not today,” Percy says. “This place looks great, by the way. Some of my other renters have… interesting tastes, to say the least. Not counting the lack of cleaning.”   
  
Credence laughs. “My last roommates were nightmares to live with because they never cleaned. Felt like I was escaping a dumpster when I left there,” he says and smiles. “It’s been nice to have a clean place to live in again.”   
  
“Definitely sounds like a nightmare. You’ve even got an herb garden,” Percy says and points at the window. “Spared a sticky end this morning.”   
  
“I know,” Credence sighs. “I think I’d rather step on glass than lose it, honestly.”   
  
Percy chuckles. “Glad neither of those things happened,” he says. “Were you asleep?”   
  
Credence grimaces. “Yeah,” he says. “Scared the hell out of me. I’m glad it was just kids though.”   
  
“Horrible way to wake up either way,” Percy says with a wry smile and pulls out his phone. “Let’s see if we can get this fixed by tonight.”   
  
“Thank you,” Credence says and walks to the kitchen as Percy dials someone.   
  
He makes a pot of coffee, his usual routine in the morning, and it’ll probably soothe some of his nerves. As it’s percolating, he watches Percy talk on the phone, measuring the window with a tape measure he’d probably brought along. Credence bites his lip as he watches him, listens to his voice, and sighs a little in longing.   
  
Why couldn’t his landlord have been… anyone else? _Anyone else?_   
  
Credence grabs his hoodie when he sees it over one of the kitchen table’s chairs and pulls it on. He’s pouring a cup of coffee when Percy hangs up and walks to the other side of the breakfast bar.   
  
“He’s got plenty of those sized panes in stock. He’ll be over in less than two hours, he said,” Percy says. “He’ll tell you, but keep it covered for a couple days, especially if we’ll get snow. You’re set otherwise.”   
  
“Thank you,” Credence says with a smile and small sigh of relief. “I didn’t think it’d be fixed that fast. It took the maintenance crew three days to come out last winter and fix our heater.”   
  
“Shit,” Percy laughs. “Apartment complexes are terrible, for the most part. I’ve been fairly lucky in my own place.”   
  
“No baseballs through your windows?”   
  
“65th floor, so that’d be impressive.”   
  
Credence laughs. “High rise apartments. Uptown?” he asks and smiles when Percy nods. “That’s got to be a beautiful view.”   
  
“It really is,” Percy says with a smile. “The few times a year I remember to take it in. Too busy for my own good,” he adds when Credence raises his eyebrows. “The real estate business is my escape from my actual work, if you can believe it.”   
  
“I don’t know, it seems like being a landlord could be a nightmare too,” Credence says and grins. “You’ve probably seen some horrible things.”   
  
“I genuinely have no idea how people manage to fuck things up so badly sometimes,” Percy agrees dryly. “I’d swear half of them are performing dark magic in various places in my homes since I can’t figure out what the hell they were doing otherwise.”   
  
Credence laughs. “My roommates just kept dropping their joints on the carpet and burning ominous black holes into it,” he says and pours creamer into his coffee cup. “Do you want some coffee?”   
  
Percy smiles. “Sure. Thank you, Credence,” he says. “How long were you in that apartment?”   
  
“Three very long years,” Credence says as he grabs another mug and pours coffee into it. Percy waves the creamer away and Credence sets the mug on the breakfast bar in front of him. “I was really busy with school, especially clinicals in my senior year, so I wasn’t there often, but I avoided going home when I could have. They weren’t so bad at first. I think they wanted me to feel trapped before they showed who they really were. I had to go through three noise cancelling headphones before I found some that drowned out what they did in bed every night.”   
  
Percy grimaces. “Fuck. Nothing worse than hearing that. You’re a saint for putting up with it for so long,” he says. “Rent must’ve been good if you stayed.”   
  
“It was definitely affordable,” Credence sighs. “But I don’t have any family to stay with and I didn’t really make friends at school until clinicals and no one ever had a bedroom free. You saved my life with this place, you know. I don’t think I would’ve been able to find anywhere else without a roommate.”   
  
“You’re a genuine person, that’s not hard to see,” Percy says with a smile that’s kind and something else, something that makes Credence’s cheeks warm. “I’m glad it worked out for both of us.”   
  
Credence smiles and looks down at his coffee mug. “Thanks,” he says. “Me too. I’ll keep renting this place as long as you let me.”   
  
“Long-term, reliable renters are angels, Credence, so I hope you stick around for a while,” Percy says and takes a drink of his coffee. “I’m choosy with my properties so I rarely sell them.”   
  
“Do you work with anyone else?”   
  
“Just me,” Percy says. “I like it better that way. I’ve got too many colleagues at my other job.” He shakes his head. “Might quit that one in the next few years and do this full time. It’s likely to give me back the twenty years of life I’ve lost due to stress.”   
  
Credence smiles. “You’re too young for that,” he says and bites his lip when Percy chuckles in wry agreement. “What’s your other job?”   
  
“Research and development for industrial purposes. A lot of manufacturing,” Percy says. “I sit on the board. Inherited it from my father and built into something better. But it’s a headache most days. Massive corporate clients are much more frustrating than the occasional couple who manage to turn my bathrooms into swamps.”   
  
Credence laughs and shakes his head. “It sounds like it,” he says. “So it’s… your company?”   
  
“Vast majority shares,” Percy says. “After he made it public. If I sold them and did more of this, I might actually have time to go see a movie now and then. Maybe even go on vacation.”   
  
“Those are two essential things in life,” Credence says with a smile. “That’s something I’d do to escape my roommates. Go see a movie by myself. You should do that. Or at least with someone you like.”   
  
“Neither of my jobs have afforded me many friends,” Percy says with some amusement. “Going alone sounds peaceful.”   
  
“It is,” Credence says. “And you don’t have to share snacks with anyone.”   
  
Percy chuckles and sips his coffee. “Are you a popcorn or red vine man, Credence?”   
  
“Definitely popcorn. Sometimes a cinnamon sugar pretzel on the way out.”   
  
“Of all the pretzels I’ve had in New York City, I’ve never had a cinnamon sugar one.”   
  
“That’s another essential thing in life,” Credence says and grins. “I might be biased though.”   
  
“No, I like where your head is,” Percy says with a smirk. “I might just go to the movies and get one next weekend.”   
  
Credence smiles, wide, and realizes his cheeks are starting to ache. “Let me know how you like it, if you do,” he says as he looks down at his coffee mug. “I’ll try to not let anything else happen to this place.”   
  
“You’d blame yourself if a tornado rolled through,” Percy says and he sounds fond more than teasing. “I’m sure you’ll continue doing just fine here.”   
  
Damn his constant embarrassment. Credence can’t quite stop a grin, even though he’s blushing, and when he looks at Percy, he sees that he is gazing back at him with that same sort of fondness. It’s a little overwhelming considering they barely know each other but it makes Credence want to grab him and kiss him.   
  
Or at least ask him out, but he doesn’t have the courage for either of those things.   
  
Credence does invite Percy to stay until the contractor gets here and he agrees. They get more coffee and sit on the sofa and talk and it’s… nice. It’s beyond nice. It’s fun and easy and Credence is starting to realize that with Percy, everything seems easy.   
  
He might be stressed at work but it seems to have made him learn how to be relaxed outside of it, something Credence doubts he’ll ever learn himself. He’s so easygoing, about the townhouse, about his other properties, about everything.   
  
Percy is not a ball of anxiety and insecurities like Credence, but he makes Credence forget about that for a while.   
  
It’s easy to laugh with him, after all, and Credence feels his heart flutter, whenever Percy makes him laugh. His dry and sarcastic humor without being cruel or mean-spirited about anyone is something Credence is immensely attracted to, let alone Percy himself.   
  
And Percy listens when Credence talks, when he tells him about work, about why he enjoys working pediatrics, especially the oncology ward, about how his first six months have been. Percy asks about NYU too and besides the horrible living situation, Credence realizes it wasn’t all that bad when he’s telling Percy about it.   
  
The stress of school in the moment was awful but it really wasn’t as bad as Credence always convinced himself it was.   
  
Percy’s even helping him look at his past with more ease, Credence thinks with wry amusement.   
  
The way Percy’s got his arm on the back of the sofa and his chin in his hand, his full attention on Credence, is probably going to do Credence in soon, so he’s immensely relieved when the contractor gets there.   
  
He’s a nice man, funny too, and once he’s sure he has everything he needs, he sets to work to replace the glass pane. It doesn’t take all that long, not even forty-five minutes, and doesn’t cost much either, when Percy pays him.   
  
He leaves after he covers the window for any snowfall in the coming days and Credence smiles when he looks at Percy.   
  
“Thank you, Percy,” he says. “I really didn’t expect it to be done today.”   
  
“You’re welcome,” Percy chuckles. “Like I said, you wouldn’t be the only one losing sleep if it wasn’t fixed today. Thank you too, for the coffee and company.”   
  
Credence smiles and looks down at the floor, biting his lip. “Yeah, it was nice,” he says. “I hope you’re able to find time for that movie.”   
  
“You and I both,” Percy says and holds out his hand. “I’ll let you know if I do.”   
  
Credence shakes Percy’s hand and tries not to swoon at the smile Percy gives him. He walks him out and watches him walk down the steps and to the sidewalk. He looks back up at Credence and winks before he’s off and Credence watches him go, leaning against the doorframe and sighing.   
  
He’s a lost cause, but that’s not something he’s unfamiliar with.   
  
——   
  
Nothing goes wrong in the townhouse for the next two weeks, thankfully.   
  
Credence works his shifts at the hospital three days a week and it’s busy, exhausting work, but fulfilling. It’s an emotional job too, especially pediatrics, but there’s something about the innocence of children and the love their parents give them that soothes the emotional burden he carries sometimes. He can give them comfort and hope the way it was never given to him and it makes him a better nurse but he thinks it makes him a better person too.   
  
Having four days off sounds appealing to most people, but he usually spends two of those recovering and the other two doing chores and grocery shopping. But he does have downtime too, time to spend with friends or sitting in front of the TV.   
  
Ideally, Credence would like to date. He hasn’t in so long but he’s always wanted a relationship. A good, long-lasting one, a healthy one, which he hasn’t quite experienced yet and it’s a little painful to think about because he’s going to be twenty-eight in November.   
  
But his nerves always talk him out of asking his friends if they know anyone or trying online dating. He doesn't know how to meet people otherwise, wouldn’t dare try to date a coworker because he’s watched that go to shit in real time for other people.   
  
And if he’s carrying a tiny torch for his landlord, well, no one has to know. He’d been hoping Percy might ask him to the movies with him but he hadn’t and Credence was disappointed, but he’s sure that Percy has a rule to not date any of his tenants too.   
  
But when he’d sent Credence a picture just a few days ago of a cinnamon sugar pretzel, Credence had been both thrilled and a little depressed. Thrilled that Percy was thinking of him, thrilled he got to text back and share a laugh without worrying about their landlord-tenant relationship.   
  
It also meant Percy went to the movies without an invitation for Credence to join him and that he could have possibly gone with someone else.   
  
Credence is frustrated with himself for feeling this way. He has no claim on Percy and being jealous over hypothetical people is so ridiculous it pisses him off. Percy might not be interested in dating, might not be gay, for Christ’s sake, and here Credence is moping because he didn’t invite him to the movies, like he’s thirteen.   
  
But he can’t help it. Percy’s been stuck on his mind since he was in the townhouse and Credence comes close to texting him numerous times, but he doesn’t want to cross any sort of lines.   
  
He’s not sure if he’s relieved or wants to burst into tears when Percy sends him another picture one day, of a monstera plant and asks _what the hell is this?_ It makes Credence laugh and also makes his heart ache.   
  
_Monstera deliciosa. Or the Swiss Cheese Plant. Their leaves start out without any holes or splits but develop them as they grow._ _  
_ _  
_ _It’s been in the corner of the board room for a while but I never looked twice at it before. It’s interesting now that I’m paying attention._   
  
Credence has to pace around his bedroom for a while after that, because he knows Percy is looking at plants because _Credence_ likes plants and that’s doing all kinds of things to his heart and mind.   
  
_They’re pretty popular these days. I’ve always wanted one but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. My basil had a pretty incredible growth spurt over the last few days._   
  
He sends Percy a picture of the basil plant he’d taken and sent to his various plant-loving friends before he used the leaves.   
  
_That’s a lot of fucking basil. What do you do with it?_ _  
_ _  
_ _I made pesto with it last night. Three jars._ _  
_ _  
_ _That sounds amazing. We should tell more people about all the interesting things plants can do._   
  
Credence laughs for a while and collapses on his bed, smiling as he looks at his phone. He’d changed _Mister Graves_ to _Percy_ after the window had been fixed and he likes the look of his name in his phone too much.   
  
_Wait until I tell you how plants have influenced the medications I use in my job every day. Then you’ll be impressed._ _  
_ _  
_ _I can only imagine. Do you recommend sending potted plants instead of flowers for welcome homes from now on?_ _  
_ _  
_ _No, because a lot of people won’t take care of them properly and they’ll die just like picked flowers will. The flowers were beautiful, but I’d probably be one of the rare few who would’ve been even more excited to get a potted plant._ _  
_ _  
_ _Stick to seasonal bouquets, got it. I suppose my tenants might think I’m strange if I sent them welcome home Swiss Cheese Plants._ _  
_ _  
_ _They just might. I might’ve cried if you’d given me one though._ _  
_ _  
_ _I wouldn’t want you to shed tears over swiss cheese._ _  
_ _  
_ _Happy tears over swiss cheese._   
  
_As long as they’re happy._   
  
If Credence floats through his next few days, well, it’s all Percy’s fault anyway.   
  
His tiny torch has turned into a full blown wildfire now and Credence tends to think about Percy morning, noon and night. It’s probably unprofessional and not very smart to talk to him like he has, but when they don’t talk for a few days Credence finds himself getting moody and restless.   
  
He thinks he should wait for Percy to text him so he doesn’t feel like he’s intruding and also because he thinks he simply doesn’t have the guts to.   
  
Credence asks a friend of his if the conversation was flirty and the look she gives him puts a blush on his cheeks and hope in his heart.   
  
After a particularly hard shift a few nights later, Credence stops on his way home to get a burrito. He’s emotional from a few patients on his floor taking turns for the worst and the amount of energy he’d had to expend taking care of them and consoling parents. The last thing he feels like doing is cooking and he’s never been to this burrito place, but it’s not far from the townhouse.   
  
It’s cold and snowy heading toward mid-November and when Credence gets home, he toes off his shoes and drags himself into the kitchen, throwing the brown bag into the microwave to heat up his burrito.   
  
He’s in the middle of grabbing a drink out of the fridge when he hears a pop and fizzle that makes him flinch. An even louder pop follows and he looks at the microwave and sees the bag is on fire.   
  
Credence shouts and leaps across the kitchen, watching the bag inside spit and flame and doesn’t know if he should turn it off or pull the bag out. After a moment of flailing, he yanks the door open and uses his oven mitts to pat down the flames.   
  
Once they’re out and the smoke has gone, Credence pulls the bag out and groans when he sees that his burrito was wrapped in foil underneath the paper wrapping.   
  
“You moron,” he mutters and looks inside the microwave.   
  
It’s blackened and part of the top is warped oddly from the heat of the fire. Credence doesn’t dare turn it on, but he tries the light and it doesn’t work. None of the buttons make any sounds and Credence leans down, pressing his forehead against his arm on the counter and shaking his head.   
  
“You absolute _moron,”_ he moans, because this is definitely his fault.   
  
Because this is not a cheap and easy fix. The microwave will be under warranty but not from stupidity and Percy will have to replace it. And he’ll probably be angry about it because Credence is an idiot who put foil in the microwave.   
  
If he cries, well, he blames it on his shift, rather than the microwave, but he knows it’s more than both of those things.   
  
It’s not seven yet and Credence thinks he should get it over with sooner rather than later and pulls out his phone. His hands are shaking, his heart racing, and he sniffs as he texts Percy.   
  
_This time it was my fault._   
  
It takes Percy about ten minutes to respond and Credence feels sick for every one of them.   
  
_Did you burn it down?_   
  
Credence may cry a little more at that, but Percy doesn’t have to know that.   
  
_Almost. The microwave is broken and probably for good._ _  
_ _  
_ _Foil or a fork?_ _  
_ _  
_ _Foil. I didn’t know the burrito I got was wrapped in foil under the paper._ _  
_ _  
_ _Sorry, Credence, but I can’t exactly call it your fault for an understandable accident. Don’t worry about it. I’ll come take a look tomorrow._ _  
_ _  
_ _It’s dead. You can add it to my rent._ _  
_ _  
_ _Let me take a look at it first. It’s only a microwave_.   
  
Credence sniffles and wipes his nose, looking at his burned burrito and the burned, useless microwave. He closes the door and gets rid of the burrito outside before he sits on his sofa. He’s not hungry anymore, only exhausted, teary and still feeling like a colossal idiot.   
  
_I’m sorry either way. I’ll be home all day tomorrow so come by whenever is best._ _  
_ _  
_ _Somewhere around eleven. Get something to eat and try not to worry about it._   
  
Credence doesn’t reply, though he has about a thousand things he could say to that. _I always worry about everything_ comes to mind, but that sounds pathetic so he doesn’t send it.   
  
_I’m afraid you’re going to be angry with me_ is something that sounds even more pathetic, so he definitely doesn’t send it either.   
  
He sits on his sofa for a while in a daze before he drags himself upstairs, takes a quick shower, and gets into his favorite pajamas. He climbs into bed, forgetting dinner and trying to forget his shift, trying to forget the damn microwave, and falls asleep out of sheer exhaustion.   
  
——   
  
Credence avoids looking at his microwave the next morning. He’s still tired and still thinking about his shift yesterday, though it’s starting to ease a little. They’d all been thoroughly warned in school and clinicals that some days would be hard and that it doesn’t usually get any easier the longer you work.   
  
Human suffering, especially childrens’, will always be hard to see, even if they all get skilled in putting it behind them fairly quickly.   
  
He drinks a lot of coffee and eats two bowls of cereal before sitting on his sofa and pulling his laptop onto his lap. Mindlessly browsing social media helps some, as does going through his backlog of emails, but the closer it gets to eleven, the more nervous Credence feels.   
  
His stomach is churning, regretting the coffee, and he feels a little nauseous. Credence thinks he might see Percy angry, might not get to enjoy his easy way, and by the time there’s a knock on his front door, he’s properly worked himself up.   
  
Credence answers it all the same and let’s Percy inside after he’s stomped snow off of his shoes on the entry rug. He smiles at Credence as he walks in and Credence tries to smile back, but he’s too mixed up for that. He closes the door behind Percy and follows him into the kitchen.   
  
Percy opens the microwave and inspects the damage. “Well, you are right that it’s dead,” he says and looks back at Credence with a smile. “Fire took care of that.”   
  
Credence sighs and looks down at the floor. “Yeah,” he says and rubs the back of his neck. “I’m really sorry. Like I said, you can add it to my rent.”   
  
“Credence,” Percy says and waits until Credence looks at him. “You can’t blame yourself for not knowing there was foil wrapped around the damn burrito.”   
  
“I should’ve checked though,” Credence mumbles. “Been more careful. It’s a new microwave.”   
  
“And it’s just a microwave,” Percy says and moves to Credence’s side, squeezing his shoulder. “I’m not concerned about it. Try not to be either. I’ll order a new one and get it here in the next couple of days.”   
  
Credence sniffs and nods. “Okay. Thank you,” he says and looks at the microwave. He sighs and glances at Percy, who is peering at him with some concern. Credence hastily looks away. “I do know accidents happen but I avoid those as much as I can during work so I suppose it carries over.”   
  
Percy squeezes Credence’s shoulder again before letting him go. “Did something happen at work yesterday?” he asks. “If you don’t mind my asking.”   
  
Credence bites the inside of his cheek and nods. “Three of my patients went downhill. Two are going to be okay, though it took a while to get them there, but one is on life support,” he says. “Having one on a shift is bad enough, let alone three.”   
  
“Does the one on life support have a chance of coming off of it?”   
  
“No,” Credence says. “She’ll pass away soon. Probably before I start my shift tomorrow. A terminal patient but they’d given her longer than this. She’s four.”   
  
Percy is quiet for some time before he sighs, gently. “I’m sorry, Credence. It must be an awful thing to watch each time,” he says. “What do you usually do to cope with it?”   
  
“I don’t destroy microwaves,” Credence mumbles. “I remind myself there are others I can help save when I’m at work and when I’m not, I try to do something that takes my mind off of it.”   
  
“I’m sure a fire and ruined dinner didn’t help last night,” Percy says and he’s smiling a little, when Credence looks at him. “You want to come shopping with me?”   
  
Credence raises his eyebrows. “Shopping?” he repeats with a frown. “Oh,” he says with a start. “For a new microwave?”   
  
“Yes,” Percy says and chuckles. “Take a walk around the store and pick out a nice one rather than ordering it online.”   
  
“That might make me feel more guilty.”   
  
“I’m not worried about the cost, you know. Doing these sorts of things for my tenants tends to keep them longer and they rate me as a good landlord,” Percy says and smiles. “I also happen to like you and I’d like for you to join me, if you want.”   
  
Credence smiles and looks at the microwave. It’d definitely keep his mind off of things and he sighs, when he realizes how wrong he was about Percy’s reaction. Maybe he knew it wasn’t all the microwave or maybe he didn’t and Credence should give him the credit he deserves because Percy has been easygoing about everything.   
  
It’s one of the reasons Credence likes him so much.   
  
And he does like the idea of walking around a hardware store with Percy and shopping for a microwave.   
  
“Okay,” he says and looks at Percy. “Sure. That sounds good to me.”   
  
“Glad to hear it,” Percy says. “Let’s do it.”   
  
Credence nods and once he’s gotten his hoodie and shoes on, he locks up the townhouse and follows Percy outside. He isn’t entirely sure where Percy wants to go and is surprised when Percy leads him to a car parked around the corner.   
  
It’s a beautiful coupe, black and sleek, fitting for Percy, and it’s fancy inside. Probably cost two years’ worth of Credence’s salary and he’s not even doing badly anymore.   
  
He’s aware Percy is a wealthy man and they are lightyears apart, but money hasn’t made Percy an asshole and Credence doesn’t think that Percy feels he’s better than him. Or anyone, probably.   
  
Percy’s a good man on top of everything else Credence already knows he is and he ignores the way his heart keeps leaping whenever Percy says his name or looks at him.   
  
They go to a large hardware store and Percy has clearly been here before. Credence wonders how many properties he has in the area and when he asks, he thinks he shouldn’t be surprised when Percy says twelve. He doesn’t ask how many he has in general because it’ll probably shock him too much.   
  
But Percy isn’t rushed as they walk through the massive store and they look at various things. When they’re crossing the store through the shower head aisle, Percy points out a few.   
  
“I’m spoiled with mine so I want to put these types in my properties but my colleague, Sera, reminds me to only put fixtures in that fit the property value,” Percy says dryly. “And that not everyone has the same taste I do.”   
  
Credence laughs as he looks at one showerhead that’s bigger than a throw pillow. “It would be odd to have mid-end fixtures and a five hundred dollar shower head,” he says and grins when Percy shrugs. “Do the rain ones even have good pressure?”   
  
“For five hundred dollars, they fucking better,” Percy says. “It’s a pretty wide range between skinning you alive and a gentle spring shower.”   
  
Credence snickers and follows Percy out of the aisle and toward kitchen appliances. “You seem familiar with this place. Do you do any of the maintenance yourself?”   
  
“If I had the time to, I would, but not a lot goes wrong because I remodel before renting,” Percy says. “Besides accidents,” he adds with amusement when Credence grimaces. “One of my renters had a pit bull they didn’t bother telling me about until he rammed through their bedroom door like the damn Kool-Aid man.”   
  
“Oh my God,” Credence says as he laughs. He laughs more when Percy does, like he can’t help it. “Did you have to kick them out?”   
  
“No, they’re reliable otherwise. Just made them pay for the dog,” Percy says with a smile and shakes his head. “And the door. Sweet dog but apparently an anxious mess.”   
  
“I know a little about that,” Credence says and smiles sheepishly when Percy gives him a look, as if to say _you don’t say?_ “I grew up being told everything that wasn’t my fault was my fault. Hard to break out of that mindset sometimes. _And_ I’ve never lived alone before.”   
  
Percy chuckles and shakes his head. “I am familiar with that myself and how difficult it is to break out of it. It’ll get easier now, living alone and accomplishing what you have. Just look at what you do for work,” he says. “You’re saving lives. That’s a lot more important than the occasional destroyed microwave.”   
  
Credence huffs and smiles. “It is,” he agrees. “I know my bad day made it worse but I’d still probably be upset with myself if I’d had a good day. If I do it again, just let me cry.”   
  
“If you do it again, I hope you laugh instead,” Percy says with a smile. “When I was twenty-four and took over the company after the old man died, I told a client to go fuck themselves in my first week and lost us millions in business. That’s a fuck up, Credence and one I don’t see you beating anytime soon. I’d love it if you didn’t worry about this.”   
  
“I suppose one hundred-fifty bucks is better than a few million,” Credence says and grimaces when Percy nods in wry agreement. “Alright. I’ll try not to. You know what they say about old dogs and new tricks though.”   
  
“It’s a good thing you’re not an old dog.”   
  
Credence smiles. “Just conditioned like one,” he says and laughs when Percy tsks at him. “I won’t worry about the microwave anymore.”   
  
“Good,” Percy says when they stop in the aisle with numerous microwaves on display. “Pick one out you like. Stainless steel, of course.”   
  
“Oh, don’t make me pick,” Credence groans. He sighs when Percy shrugs and looks at a few. “This one.”   
  
“That one is a piece of shit and you know it. This one.”   
  
“It’s over three hundred!”   
  
“Guess you better pick a different one then.”   
  
Credence digs his elbow into Percy’s and smiles when he chuckles. He looks between two microwaves and points at the one most similar to the one he ruined, that will fit in and look good with the rest of the kitchen.   
  
“Good,” Percy says. “Perfect. Should be able to get it delivered and installed before next week.” He takes a picture of the SKU and leads Credence to find someone who works in the department.   
  
Percy has obviously done this numerous times before because it only takes about five minutes to order, pay and set up a delivery time. They’ll even take the damaged one for free and once Percy finishes, he smiles at Credence.   
  
Credence smiles back and his cheeks feel warm, but it’s not so terrible. He’s having a good time and he may be absolutely infatuated with Percy, but he thinks he can keep that to himself.   
  
Maybe, anyway, if Percy doesn’t keep looking at him the way he is now.   
  
Percy winks and leads Credence out of the kitchen appliance department. He strides through the store like he owns it now and Credence keeps up with him, smiling, and laughs when he realizes they’re going to the garden center.   
  
“Going to pick up a plant or two for your place?” he asks.   
  
“I just might,” Percy says. “They apparently sell swiss cheese here.”   
  
“Everyone likes swiss cheese when they see it,” Credence says and smiles when they walk inside. It’s beautifully humid and warm and smells like fresh soil and all things green, Credence’s favorite scents. “There’s an exotic plant store out in Jericho that has some really interesting things too.”   
  
“Like what?” Percy asks with a smile as they wander through various flowers and other plants.   
  
“Rare succulents and tropical plants. Lobster Claws and carnivorous plants,” Credence says. “Did you know that the Venus Flytrap is native to North and South Carolina and nowhere else in the world?”   
  
“I… did not know that, no,” Percy says and laughs. “The Carolinas? Would’ve thought that came from South America or somewhere a little more tropical.”   
  
“They like wetlands more than tropics,” Credence says and smiles. “I had one for a long time when I was a kid. It got thrown out one day and I haven’t had the heart to get another one.”   
  
Percy glances at Credence with a smile. “I’m sure one would be perfectly happy with you if you did,” he says. “What got you interested in plants?”   
  
“That one, actually. We had a couple in my science class and my teacher gave me one,” Credence says. “It was fascinating when I was twelve, watching it grow and watching how it digested insects. I got a few more plants and I’m good with them, but my mother threw them all out if they got too big.” He sighs. “I used to come to one of these stores and spend a lot of time in the garden center. I probably sold more plants than the people who worked there.”   
  
Percy chuckles. “That’s a sweet picture, you know,” he says. “I’ve never met anyone with a soft spot for plants. I can see why though. You’ve made the townhouse look better than most of my properties with a couple handfuls of plants around.”   
  
Credence smiles and rubs the back of his neck. “Most people would probably be happier if they were surrounded by things that grow,” he says. “They could make their own pesto too.”   
  
“I’m going to have to buy a jar off of you some time, if you’re willing to part with one,” Percy says as they move to potted plants.   
  
“You could come for dinner one night,” Credence says, a little breathlessly, and is shocked it’s even come out of his mouth. But he doesn’t think he’ll get another opportunity like it and he holds his breath when Percy looks at him.   
  
Percy’s smile is warm and that fondness is back, the one that’s there too soon but makes Credence feel like swooning. “I’d like that,” he says. “Very much.”   
  
“Oh,” Credence sighs with relief and looks at the plants, trying not to grin. “Good. Maybe Saturday?”   
  
“Perfect,” Percy says. He touches Credence’s elbow, just a small and gentle thing, but it’s enough to get Credence’s heart racing. “We’ve found the monstera.”   
  
Credence looks at the next potted plant and does grin. “We have. It’s actually in better shape than I thought it’d be in here,” he says as he looks it over and feels the leaves. “It’s really young.”   
  
“How long before the leaves split?”   
  
“Hmm… about two years for this one,” Credence says and laughs when Percy’s eyebrows shoot up. “It’s growing, Mister Graves, sometimes they take a while.”   
  
“I thought trees took a long time,” Percy says. “Who knows how long the one in the board room has been sitting there.”   
  
“That one is pretty mature,” Credence says. “You could steal it and take it home.”   
  
“Is it stealing it from my own company?” Percy chuckles. “Someone has to be taking care of it. God knows who, but wouldn’t want to go around breaking any hearts.”   
  
Credence laughs. “I didn’t think about that,” he says. “So are you going to take this one home?”   
  
“Only if you take that one home,” Percy says and points at the one next to it. “They look about the same size.”   
  
“Yeah,” Credence says and bites his lip. “They’ll mature around the same time.” He looks at Percy and thinks he’s probably the most wonderful man he’s ever met, but he might be getting ahead of himself. “Alright, deal.”   
  
Percy smiles and takes one of the monsteras and Credence takes the other one. He tries to buy them both but Percy doesn’t let him and Credence thinks he needs to find out what Percy has a passion for so he can force it on him too.   
  
But Percy’s hand grazes over his lower back when they’re in line and Credence forgets about that for a while and hopes Percy keeps touching him. It’s so casual, easy as everything always is for Percy, and it’ll probably drive Credence crazy before too long, but he hopes Percy never stops.   
  
They leave after and Percy drives them back to the townhouse. Credence hesitantly invites Percy in for lunch - not pesto yet, he warns him - and Percy agrees without any sort of hesitation that would make Credence feel like he’s forcing him to be around when he doesn’t want to be.   
  
That alone is an incredible feeling but he keeps it to himself.   
  
He gets the monstera on the end table near the windows, not in direct sunlight, and tells Percy how to take care of it as he does. Percy seems surprised it doesn’t need watering very often and Credence feels a little silly gushing about plants the way he does, but it feels good and Percy keeps smiling like he genuinely enjoys it anyway. Or genuinely enjoys Credence’s joy at least.   
  
They have lunch at the table and Credence asks more about Percy, thinking it’s alright now if he does, considering their upcoming dinner date.   
  
Percy doesn’t seem bothered by anything Credence asks either, often answers in a way that makes Credence smile or laugh. He has a sister, Eliza, who works on Fifth and wants nothing to do with the company. She’s older than Percy by six years and he obviously loves her and is close to her.   
  
It sounds like Percy had as shitty of a childhood as Credence, though they don’t get into it much, and Credence wonders if they will someday. If they might get close enough to each other to share everything, and it might be too early to think about that, but Credence wants it.   
  
He wants Percy, all of him, in a way he’s never really wanted anyone. He wanted to date, wanted to meet someone, but he didn’t even have to go looking. They’ve wandered into each other’s lives unexpectedly and Credence thinks he prefers that it’s happened this way for him.   
  
They talk for a long while and Credence doesn’t know if Percy had anywhere else to be, but he isn’t in a rush to leave and Credence isn’t in a rush to see him go.   
  
But the sun is setting earlier every night and once dusk arrives, Percy says he should get home and Credence sees him out.   
  
“Thank you,” Credence says at the door, smiling and looking at the hardwood floor. “For everything today. Keeping my mind off of things. I had a good time.”   
  
“So did I,” Percy says. “Thank you for keeping me company. I’ll see you on Saturday?”   
  
“Yeah,” Credence says and looks at Percy. “Saturday. Around five, if that’s okay.”   
  
“Perfect,” Percy says and smiles. “I’ll talk to you before then. Good night, Credence.”   
  
“Good night, Percy.”   
  
When Percy moves closer, Credence’s breath hitches, his heart leaping, and the chaste kiss to his cheek might be the sweetest thing he’s ever been given. He bites the inside of his cheek when Percy pulls back but he doesn’t go far and what Credence wants must be plain on his face, because Percy kisses him then.   
  
It’s a slow and languid thing, intimate and gentle, but there’s an immense promise for more in it.   
  
Percy’s hand is on his hip and Credence’s is on his arm, but he’s gone all too soon, with a murmured _good night_ and Credence watches him walk down the steps and onto the sidewalk.   
  
He gives Credence one more smile before he’s off and Credence closes the door, locking it, and wanders to his sofa in a bit of a daze. He sits down and grabs one of the pillows, clutching it to his chest and looking at the monstera.   
  
Credence grins a little and leans back, squeezing his eyes shut and hoping beyond hope that this works out for him too.   
  
——   
  
It’s another two emotional days at work, but Credence works through it better now. He has his friends at work to help him with that and he has Percy now too, who texts him every day, a bright moment in his day each time.   
  
The microwave gets delivered and installed and Credence promises to not destroy it for at least a month when they talk on the phone that night and it makes Percy laugh.   
  
Dinner on Saturday is much better than Credence had convinced himself it would be earlier that day. He’s nervous to cook for Percy but he’s been cooking since he was eight and he’s good at it. And he knows his pesto is pretty damn good too and Percy tells him so, when they eat large plates of chicken and pesto pasta with pine nuts and garlic bread that Credence managed not to burn.   
  
He never brought anyone home in his last apartment, didn’t want to subject anyone to that, but this is his place now and it feels amazing to be able to have a man over, to cook for him and talk to him, with shared glances and smiles and small moments of intimacy.   
  
Percy might be his landlord, but it’s hard to think of him as that anymore, especially because Percy looks comfortable in the townhouse, looks comfortable with Credence all around.   
  
They watch a movie after dinner, one they’ve both seen before, which is good because if they’re not talking, they’re kissing. Percy had been the one to kiss first, thank god, and he doesn’t put a stop to it at any point.   
  
Credence thinks he could invite Percy upstairs and Percy would come without complaint, but he doesn’t quite want to rush it either. He contents himself with Percy’s lips on his neck, with his fingers brushing through Credence’s hair, and holds onto him and tries not to think of _love_ and _forevers,_ things that need more time than this.   
  
Percy doesn’t leave until it’s late but he has a decent drive back home and as much as Credence doesn’t want to see him go again, he kisses him at the door and watches him walk down the sidewalk.   
  
It’s hard to sleep that night but for once it isn’t anxiety or any other worry keeping Credence up.   
  
He’s happy, immensely so, and it’s hard to get a smile off of his face, but sleep does eventually find him, along with only pleasant dreams.   
  
——   
  
Percy is busy and so is Credence, but they manage to see each other once or twice a week for the next month or so.   
  
It’s mostly at the townhouse but Percy takes Credence out to dinner on his birthday and they get ice cream after, despite the cold, and Percy tasting like mint chocolate after is divine.   
  
Each date is better than the last and Credence finds that there’s not a single thing he doesn’t like about Percy. Busy schedules, maybe, but Percy is still making time for him and that’s not who he is anyway. Credence likes everything about him, from his smile to his sense of humor, to his gentleness and perpetually relaxed demeanor.   
  
He’s serious whenever he gets a business phone call, sometimes stern, but he’s never cruel. Percy swears that everyone but Credence thinks he’s a jackass, but Credence thinks that’s only to the people who test his patience at work and doesn’t care much about that.   
  
If Percy can look at Credence and see the mess of anxiety he is and not run away from him, but instead ease his mind with a few words and a soft touch, Credence doesn’t think he has anything to worry about.   
  
The ceiling in the bathroom leaks one night and Percy comes over to make sure it’s not going to turn into an emergency, but it’s only a clog in one of the frozen pipes and Percy fixes it in a few minutes.   
  
He doesn’t leave after, not something either of them planned, and all they do is sleep in Credence’s bed, but doing so with someone Credence is completely comfortable with is something he’s never had before.   
  
Waking up together, having breakfast together and kissing Percy goodbye before he’s off to work. Credence is fairly sure he moves through his days on cloud nine and hopes he never comes down.   
  
Unfortunately there are still things that are out of his control and one Friday at work proves to be his hardest day yet. One of their long-term residents, only eight, takes an unexpected turn and it’s extremely difficult to get him stable and to keep his parents away while they do.   
  
His father is angry, angry at everything, and Credence understands why, understands why he takes his anger out on the nurses and doctors, but it’s never a good experience when someone turns violent and Credence isn’t injured, but it shakes him up anyway.   
  
The boy is sent to the ICU while his father is visited by the police working in the hospital and Credence spends fifteen minutes in the breakroom trying to calm down. He despises that the man has to speak to the police, wants to tell them to leave him be, they understand the pain as well as he does, but he knows they have to do their jobs too.   
  
He texts Percy and doesn’t tell him what happened and he’s not sure why he doesn’t, but Percy’s dry commentary about his own day helps to calm Credence’s shaking hands.   
  
A few of his coworkers come in and hug him and one of them produces a cupcake out of nowhere. After he’s sent a picture of it to Percy and gotten his text about how none of his coworkers ever give him cupcakes, Credence is ready to get back on the floor.   
  
It doesn’t mean it doesn’t all catch up to him when he gets home. He showers to wash the day away and gets dinner made. He’s halfway through it, feeling alright, until he’s suddenly weeping and upset with himself for doing so.   
  
Credence knows he shouldn’t be, knows that he’s known the boy for three months and it’s only understandable, and he’s had parents scream at him and say awful things, but he’s never had one try to physically hurt him.   
  
It’s the first time and it’s not even close to being the last time, he knows that, and his friends would tell him to cry it out, but he can’t help feeling like he should be stronger.   
  
That the years before he escaped should have made him stronger when he feels like they’ve only ever weakened him as a person.   
  
Credence pushes his dinner away and cries for a while, holding his head in his hands and flinches when his phone buzzes on the table next to him.   
  
It takes him a while to calm down and glance at it and he sees one of his coworkers name’s, telling him to be prepared for a lot of baked goods on Sunday.   
  
Credence manages to thank her and texts Percy after.   
  
_My lease lists what you’ll fix, but I don’t see ‘people’ anywhere in it._ _  
_ _  
_ _Because that’s not my duty as your landlord. My duty as your something else to help you though. What happened?_   
  
Credence sniffs and he feels like an idiot bothering Percy like this, but he could use some of the comfort Percy seems to naturally ooze at all moments when he’s talking to or with Credence.   
  
_Patient had to be sent to ICU unexpectedly. His father was scared and tried to attack me and had to be taken away by hospital police._ _  
_ _  
_ _Are you hurt?_ _  
_ _  
_ _No. Shaken up. I’ve seen it and I understand it, I don’t blame him, but it hasn't happened to me yet._   
  
_I’m sorry it happened at all, Credence. You want some company?_ _  
_ _  
_ _Are you busy?_ _  
_ _  
_ _Never._   
  
If Credence cries a little more at that, knowing Percy means he’ll always make time for him, well, Percy won’t know it.   
  
_Yes please._ _  
_ _  
_ _Be there in thirty._   
  
Credence cleans dinner up before Percy can see he didn’t finish and inevitably try to get him to eat something else. He washes his face and tries not to cry anymore, debating putting some drops in his eyes so they aren’t so red, but he decides not to.   
  
If Percy means for this to be serious, he’ll see Credence cry because he’s a crier, as much as it embarrasses him to be, but he’s never been able to shake that either.   
  
He changes into pajamas and sits on the sofa under a blanket, looking out of the window and at the lights he put around the oak tree outside, bright white and pretty. He wants to put more up, Christmas is only a couple weeks away, and that’s still something he’s marvelling at too.   
  
That he can decorate a yard because it’s his.   
  
When Percy knocks on his door and Credence answers it, he’s holding two coffee cups, but he assures Credence they’re hot chocolate. It makes him laugh before he’s crying again and Percy shushes him, leading him to the sofa and wrapping him up in his arms.   
  
They sit like that for a long while and Credence is past the sobbing point, but it takes a few minutes for his tears to cease altogether. Percy occasionally wipes or kisses them away and rubs Credence’s back.   
  
He’s warm and cozy and always smells so damn good and he puts Credence’s heart at ease as quickly as he knew he would. After they’ve kissed once Credence’s cheeks are dried, Percy makes him drink some of his hot chocolate, some of the best he’s had and he doesn’t recognize the name of the place on the cup.   
  
Percy’s smells like mint and it makes Credence smile and chase another kiss, so he can taste it too.   
  
“Thank you,” he says softly. “I’m sorry if you were in the middle of something.”   
  
“In the middle of trying not to fly into a rage responding to work emails at home, so you are helping me as much as I hope I’m helping you,” Percy says and kisses Credence’s forehead. “This is a fairly volatile time of the year.”   
  
“It is,” Credence agrees. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a good holiday season. I was hoping this one would be better and it’s not bad on my floor, giving some of them their last Christmas and making it as special as possible, but it’s still sad.”   
  
“I imagine it is,” Percy sighs and squeezes Credence’s shoulder. “Maybe we should take a day out and do some Christmas things.”   
  
Credence smiles and looks at Percy. “What are Christmas things?” he asks with amusement. “Shopping?”   
  
“Shopping. Decorating more. Perfect time for a live tree, I’ve been led to believe. Maybe go to Central Park. See the Rockefeller tree. Bake a ham, if you’re into that sort of thing.”   
  
Credence laughs and shakes his head, tugging gently at Percy’s collar. “That sounds pretty nice, you know,” he says. “I’ve never had a Christmas tree before.”   
  
“I hated them, when I was a kid. Miserable experience all around for various reasons. You and I can do whatever the hell we want with one now.”   
  
“Candy canes and tinsel?”   
  
“...candy canes and tinsel,” Percy says and chuckles when Credence elbows him. “Fucking tinsel. Thank god you don’t have a cat.”   
  
“I just might get one, you know. After Christmas.”   
  
“With all these plants?”   
  
“Hmm, you’re right. Half of them would poison a dog or cat, I’d have to change everything all around. Maybe some fish. There are some very interesting live plants I could put in a fish tank.”   
  
“Mister Credence Barebone, the plant and fish man,” Percy says and smirks when Credence huffs. “I’ll have to check what the general consensus is in the landlord business about fish as pets.”   
  
Credence laughs. “If you make me put another deposit down on fish, I’m not getting you anything for Christmas.”   
  
“Good, I don’t need anything for Christmas,” Percy says. “But,” he amends hastily when Credence frowns, “if it’ll make you happy to get me something, I will be more than happy to receive it.”   
  
“Just have to figure out what to get the man that has everything,” Credence says with a smile. “Don’t think I don’t know you’re getting me something too.”   
  
“That may or may not be true,” Percy says and squeezes Credence closer, kissing his cheek. “You’re a hard man to shop for, you know. Half the things I think about getting you I know you’d yell at me for.”   
  
Credence grins. “Keep it in the twenty dollar range and I won’t,” he says and kisses Percy’s cheek in return.   
  
“Oh good, Lobster Claws run about five cents under that.”   
  
Credence laughs more and tells himself it’s still too early for _love_ and _forevers,_ but every time Percy makes him laugh, he thinks he falls for him a little more.   
  
The way that Percy smiles when he gets Credence laughing or joins him in it makes him feel it all the more.   
  
They talk for a while and drink their hot chocolates and Credence knew Percy would help him, but it’s still a wonder how he’s able to do it. He has some sort of magic in him, Credence is sure, and feels incredibly grateful that he’s the one that gets to experience it.   
  
“I did have a Christmas present in mind for you,” Credence says. “I’m just not sure if it’s something you want yet.”   
  
Percy gazes at Credence, eyes soft with affection and that fondness that only seems to grow every time they see each other. “Only if you’re sure you’re ready to give it, love.”   
  
“I definitely am,” Credence says with a smile. “You could have it early, if you wanted to.”   
  
Percy smiles and leans in to kiss Credence. It’s intimate and sweet, for a moment anyway, but letting heat in is easy for them both. They clutch at each other, until Credence’s arms are around Percy’s neck and Percy’s arms are around his waist. When his hands move lower than that, Credence presses against him more insistently before suggesting they move upstairs.   
  
They undress each other, unhurried, soft touches and open-mouthed kisses pressed against heated skin. They taste each other and slowly find the places on each other that bring out a moan or gasp when touched or mouthed at.   
  
It’s a gentle exploration of each other and Credence likes every bit of Percy and he likes every bit of what Percy does to him. Credence knows what he wants and when he tells Percy, Percy is more than happy to give him it.   
  
He always be, Credence is steadily realizing, probably with just about anything in life.   
  
Percy spends a tortuously long time getting Credence ready and yet he never wants it to end. Percy’s confident in this and Credence would have thought it’d make him even more nervous, but he finds that it gives him more confidence too instead.   
  
And Percy seems to like that very much, so it’s good for both of them, Credence thinks with a small laugh that Percy doesn’t question.   
  
He straddles Percy’s waist and when Percy is in him, it feels right. Feels like they belong together in all ways and as Credence watches Percy, he thinks he feels the same way.   
  
Percy touches him, his thighs and hips, his abdomen and chest, his back, and he tells Credence he’s beautiful, tells him he’s perfect and stunning, how good he feels. Credence isn’t nearly as good at giving praise, is too shy for it, but he tries to make up for that in the way he moves, in the way he takes Percy in, and Percy seems to appreciate that just fine.   
  
It gets warmer and faster and Percy’s groans, his whispers of Credence’s name, push Credence close to the edge. When Percy tells Credence he wants to come inside him, Credence begs for it and watches Percy through it, thinking he’s not only the most wonderful man he’s ever met, but also the most gorgeous.   
  
He knew that fairly early on, but there’s something more sacred in this.   
  
Percy helps Credence until he finds his own end with a hoarse shout of Percy’s name. He leans forward when he’s done, pressing his hands near Percy’s shoulders and they stare at each other as they breathe together.   
  
Credence thinks he sees love in Percy’s eyes, as plainly worn as Credence himself feels it. When Percy wraps his arms around Credence and pulls him down for a kiss, Credence comes gladly, trembling from his climax, from being overwhelmed and from understanding he’s as loved as he’s always dreamed of.   
  
As loved as he loves.   
  
They stay wrapped around each other for a long while and cleaning up doesn’t take long. They stay in bed after and Credence kisses Percy and hopes it says what he can’t, what he’s too shy to say and what might be too early to say anyway.   
  
The way Percy looks at him after tells Credence he’s read him as well as he has from the day they met and he smiles.   
  
The townhouse is mostly dark, only the kitchen light on downstairs, but the lights on the oak tree are shining through the windows below, lighting up the loft with a soft and gentle glow that looks beautiful on Percy’s skin.   
  
“When do you want to do those Christmas things?” Credence asks as he rests his hand over Percy’s chest, feeling his strong and sure heartbeat.   
  
“Whenever you have the time to in the next couple weeks,” Percy says and brushes his fingers through Credence’s hair. “Every day you’re off, if you want.”   
  
“You can’t miss that much work.”   
  
“I damn well can,” Percy says. “And I think I deserve a good Christmas for once in my life. Helping you enjoy one too is worth everything.”   
  
Credence bites his lip, his cheeks warm, and grins. “You’re going to have to stop being this good to me.”   
  
“And why’s that?”   
  
“Because I’m going to ask you to stay forever if you keep it up.”   
  
“Hmm. Well, I never planned on stopping being good to you, but that’s just an incentive to be even better.”   
  
Credence laughs and looks up at Percy, who is smiling warmly and he laughs when Credence does. The fact that Credence’s laughter is enough to make Percy laugh too is just one of many things that’s helping Credence fall, but that’s perfectly alright with him.   
  
“Merry December 12th, Percy.”   
  
“Merry December 12th, Credence,” Percy chuckles and kisses him again.   
  
Credence isn’t entirely sure what the future holds for them. But as he kisses Percy, he thinks it’s only going to be good things. Happiness, found together, happiness that’ll grow together and stronger between them, and Credence looks forward to every moment of it.   
  
One day they’ll watch their Swiss Cheese Plants split a leaf at the same time and it won’t matter where they are when it happens, because they’ll be together and saying _I love you_ that day will be far from the first and very, very far from the last.

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like I haven't written anything in a million years and it hasn't even been a month. I got hit by the art bug so I've been doing a ton of it and some commissions and adoptables and stuff. c: But I was getting sad not being able to write, so I'm glad this found me in the last two days. I've had a very terrible couple of weeks and these two always make life a little more bearable.
> 
> I'd love to know what you think! Partially inspired by a few of my other fics but I had fun all the same writing it.
> 
> Thank you Mom and Erin, very much!! Love you both!
> 
> [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/vtforpedro)


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